WWII EUROPEAN BATTLEFIELD TOUR Normandy to Eagle's Nest France – Luxembourg – Belgium – Germany September 16 - September 28, 2021 (13 day Escorted Tour) $4,795.00 per person in twin/dbl room (land package only) For your comfort, we do not fill our luxury coaches to capacity. Owned & Operated by: Custom Euro Tours   Download Booking Form - Check us out on NBC Video 77 years ago our “Greatest Generation”, Americas finest, boarded their vessels and sailed across the English Channel into Hitler’s “Fortified Europe”. This tour reflects the courage of these young men and the sacrifices that they made. Covering 4 European Countries, WW II and WW I Battlefields and the cities of Reims, Luxembourg, Frankfurt, Nurnberg & Munich, where we take in the history and architecture as well as the tourist sights of these vibrant cities. Come join us for this unforgettable historical experience of a lifetime. Day #1 - Thursday September 16th Individual arrival into Paris Charles De Gaulle’s International Airport clear customs & Immigration. In arrivals hall, a WWII Tour's Group Escort will meet group. Transfer by motor coach to your hotel in Paris for 1 night. Group has free time to relax and adjust to the time difference + 6 hours EST. Welcome dinner in hotel. (D) Hotel in central Paris Day #2 - Friday, September 17th Breakfast in the hotel. After breakfast our group will take a tour of this vibrant city. Our local city guide will show us all the famous sights. Eiffel Tower. Champs des Ellyses, Triumphal Arch, Louvres, Sacre Coeur, and many more. After the tour our group has free time to take an individual lunch before we start our drive north into Normandy and the operation Overlord area where we check into our hotel for the next 3 nights. Dinner in hotel. (B, D) Hotel in Normandy Day #3 - Saturday, September 18th Breakfast in the hotel. After breakfast, a tour of the Normandy landing beaches, starting with Ouistreham, where the British & French Commandos and Canadian 1st Airborne units secured the eastern flank of the landing beaches early in the morning of June 6, 1944. Here we will visit “Pegasus Bridge” and the museum, which is dedicated to this daring feat of bravery. Continuing west we drive the coastal route making various stops along the way through the British and Canadian landing zones on June 6, 1944 Sword, Juno & Gold Beaches. A longer stop in Arromanches is planned for a visit to the Arromanches 360 Circular Theater presentation of “Normandy 100 Days” and viewing the Mulberry Harbor, which was specially built in England and towed across the channel to be put in place for the landing of supplies after the main landings. A late afternoon /early evening return to our hotel. Dinner in hotel. (B, D) Day #4 - Sunday, September 19th Breakfast in the hotel. After breakfast we continue our tour of the “Operation Overlord” area, taking us into the American theatre of operations. Driving west our first stop of the day will be at Utah Beach where the 4th Infantry Division, under the command of General Roosevelt landed. After walking on the beach, we depart for La Fiere, to cover the heroic actions of the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division who fought to defend and keep the Merderet Bridge open for 3 bloody days of hard fighting. It was here that the Medal of Honor was awarded to Pvt, Charles de Glopper who was killed in action. This is the area where the west flank of the landing beaches had to be secured early in the morning of June 6, 1944. Our next stop will be in Ste. Mere Eglise. Here we will visit the Airborne Museum dedicated to the 101st Division “Screaming Eagles” and the 82nd Division “All American” We will also visit the church to view the beautiful stained glass windows also dedicated to these 2 divisions. A parachute still dangles precariously from the steeple with an effigy of an 82nd airborne trooper, John Steele, who was entangled there after the drop. On leaving St. Mere Eglise our tour will continue over to Point Du Hoc and the Ranger Monument. Point du Hoc has been left much as it was in June of 1944, a standing monument to the sacrifices and heroism of the 2nd Rangers. After our walk around Pointe du Hoc and visiting the German Bunkers we depart for Omaha Beach. Here we have time to reflect on the bloody slaughter of many young Americans that took place here. On visiting Omaha beach we will climb the bluffs to overlook the beachhead area and visit St .Laurent-sur-Mer American Military Cemetery. Returning to our hotel by late afternoon / early evening. Dinner in hotel (B, D) Day #5 - Monday, September 20th Breakfast in the hotel. This morning we depart from the Normandy area we drive southeast to Reims. En-route the tour will stop in the Compiegne Forest. In June 1940, just after his armies had smashed France, Hitler traveled to Compiègne. Here, in a forest clearing, on November 11, 1918, Marshal Ferdinand Foch, the French commander, had humbled the Kaiser's generals and accepted a humiliating German surrender, the armistice ending World War I. Foch held the fateful meeting in his railroad car, number 2419D. On arrival in Reims, we will visit the Little Red Schoolhouse. This is the building and room where German surrender was signed on May 7, 1945.effectively ceasing all combat operations in Europe. Directly after this VE Day in Europe was declared. Transferring from the Little Red Schoolhouse to our hotel and check in for 1 night. Dinner in hotel (B, D) Hotel in Reims / Tinqueux Day #6 - Tuesday, October 21st Breakfast in the hotel Departing Reims this morning, we continue west through the Champagne region to Verdun. A visit to some of the WW I battlefield sites is planned along with a visit to the Ossuary. Again it is here that we take time to reflect on the horror, destruction and the terrible loss of life that took place in the great war of 1914 -1918.   Mid-afternoon we travel into Luxembourg and visit the American Military Cemetery (Patton’s Grave). After our visit to the Cemetery we continue north into Belgium and the Ardennes region to re-visit the area known in WWII history as the Ardennes offensive, (Battle of the Bulge) or “The Von Rundstedt offensive” and check into our hotel for the next 2 nights. Dinner in hotel. (B, D) Hotel in Bastogne / Aarlon Area Day #7 - Wednesday, September 22nd Breakfast in the hotel. A full day touring the Bulge area visiting many of the important combat areas. La Gleize, Parker’s crossroads, Stavelot, St. Vith, Trois Ponts, Bastogne, McCauliffe Square, M cCauliffe Headquarters, Mardasson Memorial, and sites dedicated to covering the areas that were very heavily fought over and defended by the Famous “Band of Brothers” Easy company of the 101st Screaming Eagles. A visit to peace woods and the village of Foy. Not forgetting Malmedy where the infamous massacre of GI’s took place on the orders of S.S. Standartenfuhrer Joachim Peiper. On December 17, 1944, near the hamlet of Baugnez on the height half-way between the town of Malmedy and Ligneuville in Belgium, the leading element of Waffen-SS Kampfgruppe Peiper, named after its leader SS-Standartenführer Joachim Peiper encountered Jeeps and trucks of the American 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion (FAOB). The German tanks fired on the U.S. vehicles, which were quickly abandoned by their occupants. With no anti-tank weapons, the Americans surrendered. About 150 of the prisoners of war were disarmed and sent to stand in a field near the crossroads. Some 72-84 of the prisoners were machine gunned and killed, their bodies left on the field where they fell. An American patrol discovered the massacre that night. Late afternoon we arrive back in our hotel. Dinner in hotel. (B, D) Day #8 - Thursday, September 23rd Breakfast in the hotel. Departing the Bastogne area, our tour continues East through the Eifel mountains, following the advance of the US 1st Army through to Remagen. It is here that we make a short stop to visit the museum and the remains of the bridge that once spanned the River Rhine. This bridge was crucial to the Allied advance into the heart of Germany and had to be taken intact. Units of the 9th US Armored Division under LT. Karl. H. Timmermann reached this bridge and captured it intact on March 7th 1945. On March 17th 1945 the bridge collapsed killing 28 American soldiers. On leaving Remagen we follow the course of the River Rhine south to Koblenz and Bopard where we board our boat for a 1 hour scenic cruise on the River Rhine to St. Goarhausen.  From here we transfer to Frankfurt where we check into our hotel for 1 night. Dinner in hotel. (B, D) Hotel in Frankfurt Day #9 - Friday, September 24th Breakfast in the hotel. After breakfast, depart for Nuremberg. On arrival we meet our local expert and visit the Palace of Justice, site of the 1946 War Crimes Trials (Subject to availability) Continuing to the Zeppelin Field on the immense Nazi Party Rally Grounds. After touring the Luitpold Parade Ground and the superb Documentation Center we check into our hotel for 1 night.   Remainder of the day free in Nurnberg to explore the old city Dinner in hotel. Hotel in Nurnberg Day #10 - Saturday, September 25th Breakfast in the hotel.   Leaving Nurnberg we continue south to arrive in Dachau North West of Munich. A short lunch break will be made before we tour Germany’s first Concentration Camp. Dachau, once a pretty little painter and artist village on the outskirts of Munich, was transformed into Hitler’s first concentration camp. Here we have time to reflect and remember those unfortunate souls who perished at the hands of the Nazi regime. After our Dachau visit we continue to our hotel in the Munich / Lengries area and check in for the next 3 nights.   Dinner in hotel. (B, D) Hotel in Munich /Lengries Day #11 - Sunday, September 26th Breakfast in the hotel. Morning city tour of Munich, finishing at the Marienplatz to view the world famous Glockenspiel. Munich is the capital of the German Federal State of Bavaria. It is also Germany's third largest city and one of Europe’s most prosperous. The city has a population of about 1.3 million and the Munich metropolitan area is home to around 2.7 million people. The city is located on the River Isar north of the Bavarian Alps. The city's motto was The World City with a heart for a long time and has been recently replaced by Munich likes you. The figure on Munich's coat-of-arms is a monk referred to as the Münchner Kindl, the child of Munich. Black and gold - the colors of the Holy Roman Empire - have been the city's official colors since the time of Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor. After the city tour free time to free time to visit the world famous October Beer Festival before we transfer back to our hotel. Dinner in hotel. (B, D) Day #12- Monday, September 27th Breakfast in the hotel. A full day excursion to Berchtesgaden is planned. Driving up to the Obersalzberg area we transfer to the public shuttle buses which run up to the Kehlstein Haus (Eagle’s Nest). The Eagle’s Nest was a gift from the Nazi Party for Adolf Hitler’s 50th birthday and used by him to entertain friends, high ranking Politicians and members of the Nazi party. After various bombing raids by the allied air forces the house was captured by the American 101st Airborne Division, the Screaming Eagles. After WW II the building was repaired by the Bavarian Government. From here we have spectacular views overlooking the city of Salzburg in Austria and the Salzkammergut. After visiting the Eagle's Nest, we drive back to Obersalzberg and visit the remains of Hilter's main residence, "The Berghof". If time allows we also have the opportunity to visit the bunker system on the Obersalzberg (Entrance price not included - cost $4.00). Later this afternoon / early evening we return to our hotel Dinner in hotel. (B, D) Day #13 - Tuesday, September 28th Breakfast in the hotel Group transfer to Munich’s Franz Josef Strauss International Airport. Check in for the flight back to USA. End of Custom Euro Tours Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tour Highlights City Tour of Paris Visit Pegasus Bridge Visit Pegasus Bridge Museum Visit Arromanches View the Mulberry Harbor Visit the Arromanches 360 Theater Visit Ste Mere Eglise Walk on Omaha and Utah Beaches Visit Omaha Beach American Military Cemetery Visit Pointe du Hoc Rangers Memorial Visit Rail Carriage in Compeigne Orientation tour of Reims France Visit the Surrender Museum Reims Visit Verdun WWI Battlefield Visit General Patton’s Grave Visit the Luxembourg American Military Cemetery Full day tour of the Battle of the Bulge area Visit sights made famous by the “Band of Brothers” Visit Bastogne, Belgium Visit the Mardasson Memorial Visit McCauliffe's Headquarters Visit Malmedy Massacre Site See an original Pfeiffer's Tiger Tank Visit the Remagen Bridge Visit the Remagen Bridge Peace Museum 1 Hour Rhine River Cruise City Tour of Nazi Nurnberg Visit the Documentation Center Visit Nurnberg Trial's Court Room (if accessible) Visit the Zeppelinwiese Full day excursion to Berchtesgaden Visit the “Eagle’s Nest” Visit the remains of Hilter's house, "The Berghof" City tour of Munich Germany Visit the Dachau Concentration Camp Guided tour of Dachau Concentration Camp What is included Meet and greet at Paris Charles de Gaulle’s International airport All land transportation by modern touring motor coach All road tolls and applicable taxes Services of a professional Tour Manager / Ex-Military throughout 12 Nights in good quality 3 & 4 star 1st class tourist category hotels 12 Buffet breakfasts 12 Dinners as per the itinerary (beverages not included) All excursions as specified in the Itinerary All entrance fees as specified in the itinerary Luggage handling at hotels (1 piece per person if service is available) Transfer to Munich’s International Airport Full day tour of the Bulge area What is not included All items of a personal nature i.e. Telephone calls, laundry, pay TV. Hotel mini-bars in room. All meals not specified in the itinerary. All entrances to museums, art galleries, etc. not specified in the itinerary All private excursions not specified in the itinerary Any public transport, Taxi, local bus, rail or flights not specified in the itinerary Gratuities for Local Guides, Maitre’d, Tour Coach Driver, Transfer Driver, Bellmen, etc. Tourist taxes payable to hotels directly Flights to / from home area to European Gateway